September 2021

Luminescent Additives for Brand and Liability Protection, and Process Control

Jose Gasque, COO Stardust Materials

Opportunities:

• Direct product marking inseparable from its host

• Innovative traceability system for supply chains

• Unbeaten anti-counterfeiting, anti-diversion solution

• Enhanced and automated process and quality control

• Limiting liability and warranty claims

• Machine readability: instant, non-destructive, repeatable, in-field

Tracer comparisonTracers / Authentication Level Security Availability Robustness Cost per Unit Cost of

Authentication

Bar and QR codes / Readers Overt Low Common Low Low Low

Holograms Overt/Covert Low Common Medium Medium None

RFID / Readers Overt Low Common Medium Medium Low

DNA tracers / Detection

devices

Covert High Common-rare Low Medium High

Isotope tracers / Mass-

spectrometry

Forensic High Unique High High High

Inscribed plastic micro

platelets / Lens

Covert Medium Common Medium Medium Low

Magnetic micro-fibers/

Detection devices

Covert High Common-rare Medium High Medium

Organic luminescent

tracers / Detection devices

Covert/Forensic High Common-rare Low Low Medium

Inorganic luminescent tracers /

Detection devices

Overt/Covert/

Forensic

High Rare-unique High Low Low

Unique, High Security and Robustness, Low Cost per Unit and Authentication

Technology: Two-Part System

How the technology works

1. Inorganic, optical tracers• Proprietary• Largest portfolio

2. Detection devices• Instant authentication• Non-destructive• Universal• Custom-built

Technology: Tracers

~2 µm

microparticles

50 – 70 µm

human hair

~ 1 grams of LA to mark 1 gallon

of paint

Luminescent Additives (LA)

Technology: Tracers

Physical characteristics

• Unaffected by harsh environments: Direct sunlight & Ultra-Violet (UV) light, humidity, freezing, saltwater, solvents & aggressive chemicals, or high temperatures.

• Efficiency does not diminish over lifetime of product

• Inorganic, extremely robust, with the lifetime of diamonds

• Easily incorporated into thousands of applications: Viscose (shown in photo), Upcycled Ocean Plastic® and any other polymer,paint, adhesives, epoxy, ink… the sky’s the limit.

Physical characteristics (cont.)

• Dielectric/non-static, non-flammable, non-conductive, transparent/ invisible in thin film coating application

• Safe & environmentally friendly: Non-toxic, no heavy metals, inert, approved for: food contact, medical devices, and toys.

• Heavy, can settle out, agitation required, potential dispersant required for certain applications.

Technology: Tracers

Integration of luminescent additives

• Directly mixed into powder, liquid or other media

• Dispersed via masterbatch in most polymers

• High-sheer mixing is recommended

• Chemical dispersant is sometimes required

Technology: Tracers

Luminescent Additives visualized

Technology: Tracers

• Hand-held, field-ready detection device

• Immediate, unambiguous results

• Non-destructive testing

• NO laboratory testing required

• NO added wait or cost for results

• Ease of use

• Multi-marker differentiation

• Audio, visual, and/or vibration feedback result

Technology: Detection Devices

Detecting luminescent additives in coatings

InfraRed latent print visualization

Technology: Detection Devices

Tracer paints

Applications

Conformal coatings

Architectural coatingsAnti-microbial coatings

Seed coatings

Application: Detecting marked layers below top and final coatings

Application

Application: Multiple component mixture (e.g. epoxy)

Application

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2:1 1:1 1:2

Rati

o

Epoxy Mixtures

B

A

Process control

Application

Application: Covert (invisible) differentiation

Application

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Tracer 1 Tracer 2 Tracer 3

Ra

tio

Marker Differentiation

B/A min B/A Max

Application: Dilution detection

Application

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

0 5 10 15

Sig

na

l (a

u)

Degree of Dilution (%)

Dilution Detection

Application: Dilution detection (e.g. wear and uniformity)

• No need for subjective color assessment

• Quantifiable thickness evaluation

• Pointed or averaged location measurement

• Sensor-automated monitoring

Application

• Brand protection: Enables brands to make demonstrative claims

• Physically links products and raw materials with certification documents

• Simplifies identification:

• Machine readable, instant, reliable,

repeatable, non-destructive, in-field results

• NO lab testing required!

• Nearly limitless applications

Advantages of luminescent additives

• Offers court-admissible evidence for: Liability, warranty, brand protection,

and contract enforcement

• Remains with the product/coating for its lifetime

• Easily integrated:

• NO additional processing steps

• NO costly infrastructure

• Establishes direct supply chain traceability

Advantages of luminescent additives (cont’)

Questions?

Jose Gasque, COOStardust Materials

jose@StardustUS.com